Buzz
While this list shares some similarities with a prior version, it is dedicated solely to feature films. I believed Mytour should include such a list, highlighting the pioneering films that achieved milestones now taken for granted. Enjoy, and feel free to share your thoughts! This list follows a chronological sequence, numbered from 1 to 10 instead of the usual ranking format.
3. The Story of the Kelly Gang 1906
First: Full-Length Feature Film
This film chronicles the life of Australian outlaw Ned Kelly. Produced on a budget of approximately $2,250, it was filmed entirely in Melbourne. The screenplay was penned by John Tait, who also cast his sister Elizabeth Kelly and friend Nicholas Brierley in leading roles. In 2006, the National Film and Sound Archive unveiled a restored version, pieced together from the surviving 17 minutes of footage.
2. The World, the Flesh and the Devil 1914
First: Color Feature Film
Little information exists about this English film, which cost £10,000 to produce. It employed the Kinemacolor technique, utilizing two color filters during filming and projection. The camera, similar to standard cinematographic equipment, operated at double the speed, capturing thirty-two frames per second instead of sixteen, and featured a rotating color filter alongside the standard shutter. This filter was constructed from an aluminum skeleton wheel. The storyline revolves around baby swaps and cases of mistaken identity, “with a few extra thrills and spills added for excitement.” It’s worth noting that this film was preceded by a 2+ hour-long color documentary titled “With our King and Queen through India,” which is excluded here as it falls under the documentary category.
1. The Fall of a Nation 1916
First: Feature Film Sequel
This movie serves as the follow-up to the revolutionary *The Birth of a Nation* (1915, shown above), directed by Thomas Dixon, Jr., a Ku Klux Klan advocate who authored the novel inspiring the original film. The plot revolves around America's lack of preparedness for a European war. While not as contentious as its predecessor, it remains controversial for its endorsement of the Ku Klux Klan, describing them as “a great, veritable empire of the South, safeguarding the Southern region.” The first film is renowned for its innovative use of cinematic techniques like close-ups, deep-focus shots, and jump-cuts, and it shattered box office records, earning an unprecedented $10 million. Despite its controversial nature, the film boasts a 100% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Film critic Roger Ebert remarked, “‘The Birth of a Nation’ is not a bad film because it advocates for evil. Like Riefenstahl’s *Triumph of the Will*, it is a great film that argues for evil. Understanding how it does so offers insights into filmmaking and even the nature of evil.
4. El Apostol 1917
First: Animated Feature-Length Film
Released in 1917, this Argentine animated film holds the distinction of being the world’s first feature-length animation. Created by Quirino Cristiani, who wrote and directed it, the movie comprised 58,000 frames and ran for 70 minutes, translating to approximately 14 frames per second. The plot satirizes President Hipólito Yrigoyen, who ascends to the heavens to borrow Jupiter’s thunderbolts, aiming to purge Buenos Aires of corruption and immorality. The outcome is a city left in ashes. While the film was reportedly well-received by audiences, no surviving copies are known to exist today.
5. Marked Men 1919
First: Remake of a Feature Film (The Three Godfathers – 1916)
As noted by Wikipedia, this marks the first instance of a feature film being remade. It presents a Western adaptation of the nativity story, focusing on the Three Wise Men. The director later revisited the concept with *3 Godfathers*, featuring John Wayne and Harry Carey, Jr. Notably, Harry Carey, Sr. (pictured above) appeared in both the original and its remake.
6. Wings 1927
First: Best Picture Winner at the Oscars
At the inaugural Academy Awards in 1929, the Best Picture category was preceded by the Most Outstanding Production award, introduced the next year. While some might argue that *All the King’s Men* was the first official Best Picture winner, such a claim would be overly meticulous. This romantic World War I epic features Buddy Rodgers and Richard Arlen as small-town rivals vying for the affection of Sylvia (Clara Bow). After training together, they become close friends. In a dramatic turn, Arlen’s character, presumed dead, commandeers a German bi-plane to escape but is shot down by Rodgers’ character, who mistakes him for an enemy.
7. The Jazz Singer 1927
First: Feature Film with Audible Dialogue
This iconic film stars Al Jolson as Jake Rabinowitz, a man from a strict Jewish family who pursues a career in entertainment under the stage name Jack Robin, much to his family’s disapproval. The film’s production was highly intricate: each of Jolson’s musical performances was recorded on a separate reel paired with a corresponding sound disc. Despite the film’s runtime of just eighty-nine minutes, it required fifteen reels and discs. Projectionists had to swiftly thread the film and synchronize the Vitaphone records, as any delay or error could lead to public embarrassment and financial loss for the studio.
10. Toy Story 1995
First: CGI Feature Film
This groundbreaking film revolves around a boy’s toys that magically come to life when he’s not present. A team of 27 animators worked tirelessly to create the 114,420 frames of animation. Each character was sculpted from clay, digitally designed, and then equipped with motion controls—Woody, for instance, had 723 controls, with 212 dedicated solely to his facial expressions. The production process was painstaking, with each frame taking anywhere from two to fifteen days to complete, totaling 800,000 machine hours to finish the film.
9. Bwana Devil 1952
First: 3-D Feature Film
This film depicts the construction of the Ugandan Railway in British Africa during 1898, focusing on the terrifying incidents of man-eating lions attacking the workers. It was produced and screened using the Natural Vision 3-D technique and distributed by Arch Oboler Productions after being rejected by major studios like 20th Century Fox, Paramount, Columbia, and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The first 3-D film released by a major studio was *The Man in the Dark* (1953), distributed by Columbia. The image above captures the historic moment of the first audience experiencing *Bwana Devil*.
8. Gone With the Wind 1937
First: Feature Film to Gross $100m
Alongside *Toy Story*, this film is arguably one of the most renowned entries on this list. Adapted from Margaret Mitchell’s novel of the same title, this sweeping romantic epic chronicles the impact of the Civil War and its aftermath on the residents of a Georgian town. It set a record by winning ten Academy Awards and continues to feature prominently on lists of America’s greatest films. It was the first movie to surpass $100 million in earnings and, when adjusted for inflation, remains the highest-grossing film of all time. Marked men
